Hop-on, hop-off bus tours of Los Angeles stop at the Villa; some guided tours of Malibu include the museum on the itinerary. After taking a spin through the artifacts presented here—from a combination map and timeline that illustrates how cultures and alliances of the ancient world were interconnected to beautifully preserved coins, jewelry, and objets d’art—continue along the rectangular pool with its frescoes, statues, and fountains. Admire views of the Pacific that once only a Getty could afford.
Consider having lunch or a cheese plate and glass of bubbly at the on-site café, which serves Mediterranean-inspired fare. Outdoor seating features a patio that looks out over the Villa’s front doors and an amphitheater/courtyard of stone quarried in Israel.
The museum is located in Pacific Palisades via the Pacific Coast Highway north of Malibu. Street parking isn’t available, and those without a reservation will be turned away. To avoid disappointment, be sure to make your on-site parking reservation ahead of time; same-day reservations are often available. Metro bus line 534 stops at Pacific Coast Highway and Coastline Drive, directly across from the Getty Villa entrance.
Getty Villa is open Wednesdays through Mondays during the day but closed on Tuesdays. It also closes for Thanksgiving Day (the fourth Thursday in November), Christmas Day (December 25), and New Year’s Day (January 1). Docent-led tours of the Getty Villa's groundbreaking architecture, collection highlights, or Roman gardens depart multiple times daily.
Originally opened in 1974 as a museum to house oil tycoon J. Paul Getty’s extensive collection of ancient artifacts, the then-crumbling Villa was closed for renovations in 1997. Reopened in 2006, the Getty Villa has once again become a popular seaside destination, often combined with a visit to Santa Monica or Malibu.
